October 7

“My brothers, do not let class distinction enter into your faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord. . . the right thing to do is to keep the supreme Law of Scripture: You will love your neighbor as yourself; but as soon as you make class distinctions, you are committing sin. . .”

How very easy to prefer that those who are just like us be identified with us, even to church membership. How sad that we must fall back to those old “us” and “them” notions. Sometimes
our prejudices are obvious, even to ourselves – race, gender, age, and economic and social status. Sometimes our prejudices are not so obvious. How often have we ridiculed those who
practice a different mode of worship. Maybe the music is of a foot-stomping, hand-clapping variety. Maybe the prayers are offered individually but aloud and at the same time. Maybe the
entire service is offered in total silence. Sometimes we forget the importance of the message that “whosoever shall do the Will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother
(Mark 3:35).”

O GOD, HUMBLE MY ARROGANT HEART! REMIND ME THAT I AM ONLY ONE PART OF YOUR WONDERFUL WORLD AND NOT THE WHOLE OR EVEN THE CENTER. ENABLE ME TO SEE THE ERROR OF MY WAYS AND TO CHANGE THEM. CHANGE MY HEART, I PRAY IN CHRIST JESUS’ NAME. AMEN.

–  Shared by Charlotte Batts